My Love Is Time
by BallinBlonde21
Summary: Following My Love Is Basketball...a series of One-Shots to lead readers up to the actual sequel...My Love Is Art. Shadowhunting Clace, Malec, Sizzy, and lots of fluff ; I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING THAT COMES FROM THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS! Clear? Good :
1. The Challenge For My Readers

Ha-ha, you thought the story was going to start right away. Psych! Hey, don't be mad…there WILL be a story, so just…keep reading. :D

As the followers of my other stories know, I have been having a little trouble with updating, due to zero inspiration and lack of interest from my readers (Review wise anyway…) So here's the deal:

::::THIS IS NOT THE SEQUEL TO MY LOVE IS BASKETBALL::::

I prefer to refer to it as my…transition story. My Love Is Art (The sequel's name, be on the lookout!) will begin at Clary and Jace's junior year at Prescott High, but I couldn't just let the whole second half of their school and the following summer be left unwritten, so this is what I came up with.

This story, My Love Is Time, will be a series of one-shots, each taking place on completely different days at completely different times to help gently shift from one time to another. They will be rather fluffy and mildly angsty, but probably won't tell a story in full. That is why it is a series of ONE-SHOTS.

Okay, here's where you guys come in, my faithful followers. You get to set the mood for each chapter. Do you want love? Hate? Drama? After each entry, starting with this explanatory one (So review on this, and we can begin as early as today), I would like you to review a song title and whose POV I should write from. I was intrigued by a one-shot I read, and the writer was doing the "Song Challenge." He or she was given a song to listen to while writing and challenged to just write whatever he or she felt while listening to the song.

For each chapter, I will pick a song and listen to it while I'm writing. I don't know how many chapters I will be doing of this, but it is just until I feel that we are able to pick up with Jace and Clary at the start of their junior year…so…get reviewing! :D ~All My Love


	2. Justin Bieber: Mistletoe

**Alright, my lovelies, this is the first one-shot I have ever written, and it's mildly angsty because...well...just read and you'll understand. Remember to review the song you want next. I believe that I will be only using songs that are reviewed on the most recent chapter, so that means I will be waiting to hear from all of you. All my love, lovelies. And with that...here's the first one.**

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Song: Mistletoe by Justin Bieber

Requested by: FanFicFanatic

_Hey Love_

_The wise men follow the star,_

_The way I follow my heart._

_And it led me to a miracle._

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I sat on the edge of the bed, elbows balancing on my knees, just enjoying the view that lay before me. I didn't exactly know what time it was, probably six or so in the morning, but I was wide awake, the redhead's mind unaware of my presence.

She knelt before the window, watching the flickering colors of the brilliant Christmas lights surrounding Prescott, memorizing each shape of the unique, delicate snowflakes visible against the yellow light of the streetlamps as the frozen water danced toward the ground. Her curly red hair had been released from last night's pins and fell in careless waves against her back. She was silent, still as she gazed through the sheet of glass, peaceful and comfortable in the absence of voices.

The only sound that filled the air was the ever so soft scratching of her pencil against her sketchpad, fluent motions creating a master piece. I longed to view what was drawn against the off-white paper, see the lines and spirals of her artistic ability, but she wouldn't allow me to see. I'd never been permitted to peek into her sacred sketchpad, my very manhood being threatened every time I so much as tried. I chuckled deeply, pushing past the blanket of silence and crossing the room to Clary, her hand never seizing as it dragged the graphite across her paper, undoubtedly leaving behind a glorious picture.

I sat down behind her, pulling her kneeling figure between my legs and nuzzling my face into the soft fabric of the t-shirt covering the crook of her shoulder. Her body shook slightly as she sighed quietly, just a simple exhale of breath as she leaned back against my chest. "Jace, I didn't even hear you come in." I chuckled again, snaking my arms around her waist and securely holding her against me, thankful that finally, finally she was mine, with no secrets, no deceit, and no jealous girls.

I kissed behind her ear, nuzzling my nose up and down against the side of her head, her hair tickling the skin of my cheeks. She was mine, my guardian angel that had crossed through heaven and hell to be with me, to save me. My lips twisted into a smile at the thought of that, a brilliant, golden halo nestled against the soft curls of red, her pale skin illuminated by heavenly sunshine, dressed in a flowing, white gown that billowed around her ankles in a warm breeze. She was the one that had kissed my scars, yanked me away from the clutches of death. She was my angel, my savior, and I owed her my life, something I fully intended to give to her, when the time was right.

I felt Clary shift, whirling around until she faced me, her legs crossing over my own and wrapping around my back. She wriggled herself tighter to me, and that's when I noticed that her eyes were rimmed in red, a tear streaming down her cheek. I removed my arms from around her and brought them up to her cheeks, to cup her face and tenderly wash away the tears with soft kisses. She lifted her lips and put them against mine, an electric spark igniting between even the subtlest kiss, tingling with the lightest touch.

I wanted to be gentle with her, to let all my care and love for her seep into a slow, warm kiss. Although to everyone else she looked content, I knew that that was just a front. I knew that on the inside, she was hurting. This was the first Christmas she'd have without her father, the first one she'd have without her brother. I just wanted my kiss to let her know that I was there for her, that I wasn't going to leave. I ran my thumbs along her cheekbones, feeling her minty breath waft into my mouth as my fingertips came away wet with her sadness. I slowly pulled her lower lip between my teeth and sucked on it, rolling it carefully between my teeth before pulling away.

I placed a few chaste pecks against her pink lips before resting my chin atop her hair, running my hands lazily up and down her back as she quaked with silent sobs. She clung to me with intensity. It was as if she believed that I would leave when she released me. I picked her up, her legs wrapped firmly around my waist as I carried her to the bed, cradling her face against my shoulder as she cried into my t-shirt. I sat her down, then plopped down beside her, reaching out and intertwining our fingers together.

The silence was thick, a few strangled breaths breaking through the darkness every so often. I squeezed her hand, reaching over to brush her curls away from her face. "I, I know he's been bad, Jace…so bad…but I, I can't help but miss him, wish that things could go back to—" Her words were choked off abruptly as she dropped her head into her hands.

"Hey," I murmured quietly, using my finger underneath her chin to lift her emerald gaze to mine. I focused on her face, how her skin was streaked with red, how her green eyes were hollow, lifeless. With the pale moonlight pouring through the window, she looked ghostly, her pale skin nearly white, her carroty hair shining with silver. "You don't have to hate him."

Clary threw her head back against the mattress in frustration, her fingers ripping out of mine and a sound resembling agony escaping her lips. "What kind of a person does that make me, Jace? He hurt my family, Maia. God, Jace, he almost killed you, and you're sitting here telling me I don't have to hate him?" I rubbed the back of my neck, her words making the pain of my almost-death come back to the front of my mind.

It had been hard enough for me to try to rid the memory of the demonic energy crashing into me, of the sensation of being ripped apart slowly, of Clary's terrified eyes. I shoved all that away now, tucking it deep into the recesses of my mind as I spoke, slowly, calmly. "Listen, Clary. You don't have to hate the man who is your father."

"But, Jace, after what he did to you…" a tear streaked down her face, glimmering in the shadows. I pulled her into my lap and rocked her gently back and forth. My mind spinning as I tried to think of the words to express how I felt.

"I don't even hate your father." It was simple, really, and it was completely and utterly the truth. I didn't hate Valentine. I didn't even see how I could. "He gave me the most precious gift I've ever received. He gave me you." The sound of Clary's gasp sliced through my ears, as I bent over her and kissed her upside down, just a simple peck. I pulled away, reminding myself that with my special gifts, which included wall climbing, I should attempt to reenact the famous _Spiderman_ kiss with her, the very idea sending jolts of electricity racing up and down my spine.

When I resurfaced from my childhood fantasies, I reached into my jeans pocket. "Turn around," I ordered.

Clary turned around as I had asked, facing me as I produced a small gift. "We don't buy each other gifts," she accused. I laughed quietly, remembering our childhood tradition. We'd been intrigued by the story where the whole class had to give gifts without actually buying them. They drew names, and a boy picked the girl he liked, and the girl picked the very same boy. The boy sold his beloved canary to give a girl clips for her hair because he loved to see her face and hated when she hid behind her blond locks. The girl cut off and gave away her hair to give the boy a cage for his canary, which she knew he loved so much. That had inspired our young minds, and we decided to try it. From then on, it just had become an unspoken rule that any gift from me to Clary or from Clary to me could not be bought with money.

"Trust me, Morgen. I didn't spend a penny on this gift." With that, I brought up Clary's palm and released the gift into it, watching as she fingered the chain of the necklace. She looked up, her eyes inquisitive as she wrapped her fingers carefully around the Morgenstern ring at the end.

"You're ring…" she said quietly, watching a smile form against my lips. She lifted up her hair as I clasped the chain around her neck, the ring bouncing precisely in the hollow of her throat. "It's perfect," she murmured, still touching the glimmering, golden circle. Her eyes lit up for the first time all morning as she leapt off the bed and ran to the corner of her bedroom, a cube sitting in the corner. She returned, a grin tugging at her lips.

"I had my mom bring him here yesterday, since she went back to Ohio to get her things about a week ago." She set the box next to me. It was a blue carrier, one that you'd see for cats or dogs going on a flight. I looked at her, my eyebrows knit together in confusion. She nodded excitedly and threw open the latch.

A cat came launching out at me, purring excitedly as I patted its head. "Church!" My father and mother had accidentally left him behind when we'd moved. "How?"

"I kept him. Anything you love, I love." I quirked one eyebrow in her direction.

"You love girls?" Clary shoved me over with a pillow, and I struggled playfully. Church mewed quietly, his declawed paws scratching at my arm. "Uncle. Uncle!" I called, and she removed the pillow, her smiling face coming into full view.

"What did I tell you the first day I got here, Herondale. I. Will. Always. Win. Deal with it." I smiled, pulling her to me and tucking the blankets around our legs, our feet tangling at the foot of the bed.

She snuggled into my side, Church curling up in a ball beside her. "Clary?" I asked, reaching into my pocket for one last thing that I'd brought into her bedroom that morning.

"Hmm?" she hummed into my side, shifting to make herself more comfortable. I raised my arm above my head.

"Look." I felt her head move as she stared up to where my arm was, a leafy green plant dangling from my fingertips.

"Mistletoe…" she murmured before I captured her lips with mine, my hands coming up to hold her face to mine as her fingers knotted into my hair.

"Merry Christmas, love," I whispered into her kiss, the words lost inside her mouth. Sure, the snowstorm raged outside, and Valentine still ran wild on the loose, but right then, in that moment on Clary's bed, everything was miraculous.

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_With you under the mistletoe._

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_**Touch the review button if you're a human...I dare you.**_


	3. Bruno Mars: Just The Way You Are

**Guess who's back, back again. Shady's back, tell a friend. Sorry, I love Eminem...haha so, my lovlies, sorry I haven't updated in like FOREVER...yes, yes go ahead, yell at me, buttttttt I have a good excuse. My brother just graduated, and the preperations for his party took like a month...(400 people showed up...I live in a town of 226 people)...so yeahhhhh but here I am, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! I hope to have an update for _Perfect Life, Perfect Spike _up by today and _Tackling Destiny_ either later or tomorrow...so enjoy :)**

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Song: Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars

Requested by: Megatron13

_When I see your face,_

_There's not a thing that I would change_

_Because you're amazing,_

_Just the way you are._

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I strummed a few chords on my guitar, the strings familiar beneath my fingertips. I faced the window, watching the gray skies weep frozen water onto the ground, and hoping that Clary wasn't being too tortured with Isabelle at the mall. I slid my left hand up and down the neck of the guitar, changing the sound of each note, bobbing my head up and down to the music I was creating.

The room was cold, empty without my spitfire of a girlfriend around to joke with. Izzy had dragged her to the main streets of New York City and begged her to stay at St. Xavier's for a few nights, leaving me alone in my bed at Prescott, the indent where Clary usually slept just as cold when I would wake up as when I would go to bed. I was sick of it.

Even Alec wasn't around to torment! He was too busy with Magnus that I had barely even seen my parabatai. I rubbed the back of my neck, an ache in my heart that I'd never really felt before, well not since Clary had become my girlfriend. Was it, was it longing? I sighed, pushing myself up off the couch and filling a glass with water.

As the tap filled the cool cup in my hands, My eyes idly wandered around the room. Even the amazing dorm rooms at Prescott were dull without my friends. I jammed the handle of the sink down and leaned my elbows against the counter, sucking down the water in huge glugs.

_Girl look at that body. Ahhh. Girl look at that body. Ahhh. Girl look at that body. I-I work out—_I reached my cell phone at the sofa and flipped it open, seeing Izzy's number on the caller I.D. "Jace!" her panicked voice filtered through the earpiece. Izzy was rarely panicked. My pulse quickened as I dashed around the room to gather my fighting equipment. I was out the door before she had even finished explaining. A few demons had backed them into an alley, and they had no weapons. I quickly dialed Alec and told him to meet me in the lobby in two minutes. "Oh, and bring your bow," I added before hanging up.

I sprinted down the stairs in my tight, black fighting gear, a seraph blade hanging from my belt and a bow strapped to my back. To the mundies, my glamour hid me as a regular student, but I was revved up and ready to fight anything that stood in my way. I met Alec at the door, ignoring my brother's slightly rumpled appearance. Those were images I did not want to have invading my mind. "Really, Jace," Alec commented, gesturing toward the piece of cloth tied around my golden locks.

"What, Alec no like Rambo?" Alec rubbed his temples. He really hated when I channeled my inner two-year-old.

"Let's just go," he said, chirping his car unlocked and sliding into the driver's seat. I complied, throwing myself into the passenger seat and chanting _Go, Go, Go! _in his ear. Alec glared at me and floored it, speeding around the New York traffic easily and expertly. We were at the alley in no time, and I jumped out before the car had even stopped, wildly searching for the two main women in my life.

"Hey, Jace," Clary said smirking. My eyes widened at the sight. She had on tight black pants, hugging her curves just right, and a tight black top, leaving very little to the imagination. I gulped as a seraph blade glowed to life in her hands, casting an inhuman blue light across her face.

"I thought you didn't have weapons," I mumbled my first coherent sentence, watching Izzy step up from the shadows and stand to Clary's left.

"Well, you won't let your girlfriend fight any demons, so we decided to _show_ you that she was capable of being part of our attack squad." I felt a buzzing of electricity roll through my body as Clary stepped closer and closer to the darkness, to the demons that lurked in the shadows. My body screamed to plunge into the darkness and not allow her to continue.

"Clary—" I groaned, my voice strained with pain. She whirled around, her wild hair seeming to lift with her anger, though I knew it was only the wind.

"Let me do this, Jace. I want to show you that I can." I shut my mouth, leaning onto the hood of Alec's car for support. She returned her gaze to the black alley, stepping into it, the seraph blade lighting up the entire alley. I watched her head turn as she searched for a demon, never leaving herself unguarded, exactly as I had taught her. She licked her lips defiantly, watching as one black, slimy demon slithered up to the challenge. Though Clary took it out easily, it wasn't easy for me to watch. I was pretty sure my fingers would leave dents in Alec's hood.

Clary took out multiple demons, small ones, weak ones. My heart was hammering in my chest as a bigger, tougher demon took its position across from Clary, its scorpion-like tail ready to sting her. My throat clenched. My pulse stopped.

The wind picked up, whipping Clary's carroty hair into her eyes, obstructing her vision of the demon in front of her. My muscles were coiled to pounce on the evil black creature, to protect her from all harm, but I restrained myself, knowing that she wasn't going to graciously accept my heroism as any other teenage girl would have.

No, Clary was different, as evidenced by her blindly guiding her seraph blade straight into the demon's heart, plunging the gruesome specimen back to its own dimension. Every other woman that had been in my life, was merely a speck compared to Clary. It was as if they were stars, bright in the darkness of night, in the blackest of skies. They were appealing for me to look at, but that's it, they were only pretty. As Clary turned and grinned at my triumphantly, her red curls spilling onto the tight, black material of her Shadowhunting gear, I realized that she was the sun.

She radiated happiness and joy, brightening the lives of everyone she's ever met. She'd warmed the souls of every person she came into contact with, and her beauty was unmatched by any other celestial miracle, let alone another human being. And she was mine. I placed a smirk on my face, while leaning against the brick wall behind me. She skipped giddily over to me, the flickering streetlamps echoing the emerald color of her eyes. I forced out a shaky breath, watching it dissipate into the cool night air.

Clary stepped up in front of me, tucking her hair behind her ear and dropping her gaze to the ground, silently prompting me to take her chin between my fingers and lift her gaze up to mine. I did just that, her eyes bouncing from one of mine to the other as I just stood there, marveling in her beauty. Even the most renowned painter could not have captured such vibrancy in a simple painting. Something so complex could barely even be captured by a photograph, let alone created at the hands of an artist.

The girl standing before me was something straight from heaven, something only the hands of our creator could have molded with such perfection. She was amazing. She was everything. "Jace?" she squeaked out quietly, a small crease of worry forming between her eyebrows. One side of my mouth twitched upward as I realized I had just been staring at her for about five minutes. Her shoulders hunched, and she took her head from my hand, focusing her eyes so low that her chin touches her chest. "I did it wrong, didn't I?"

I could hear the devastation in her voice, and I couldn't help but chuckle a little bit, wrapping my arms around her shoulder and planting a kiss on the top of her head. "You did amazing, babe, although you will never acquire the panther-like stealth that I possess." She slapped my arm playfully and stretched up on her tiptoes to kiss my lips softly. It was a sweet, lingering kiss and I folded her against me, wanting nothing more than to keep her in the circle of my arms, to become her human shield and keep her safe from the brutal world we lived in.

"My eyes! MY EYES!" Isabelle shouted as she rounded a corner, wrapping her whip around her forearm and gagging in our direction. Clary jumped away from me, frightened by the dark-haired girl's sudden outburst. I draped my arm lazily over her shoulder and steered her in the direction of our car, leaving Isabelle and Alec, who had just appeared next to his sister, to trail in our tracks.

Clary shivered from the winter chill, and I wrapped her inside my coat, pulling her right up against my side. My golden gaze was cast downward toward her, fixated on her angelic face. "Jace, stop looking at me. I look like crap." A small, unsure smile played on her lips, and I frowned.

"Clary, don't sell yourself short. You're beautiful." A red blush crept up her cheeks as I pulled her even closer to me, pressing my lips to her strawberry scented hair. In the pale moonlight, her skin was almost translucent with reddish freckles dancing along the surface. Her hair was in wild tangles, the curls spilling down over her shoulders and swishing in the breeze. The green of her eyes was illuminated by the stars, which twinkled in their depths. I couldn't take it anymore. I slid my hand under her hair and cupped the back of her neck, lifting her awaiting mouth to mine.

Her warm breath fanned over my face, and her eyes fluttered shut, her red eyelashes brushing her cheeks with a look of pure serenity. "You two go at it like rabbits!" Izzy once again broke the mood, stomping past us in her knee-high boots, the clicking echoing around the empty alley. One side of my mouth twitched up in a smirk as I looked at Clary, whose horrification was equal to my amusement. I placed a chaste kiss on her parted mouth and laced our gloved fingers together, tugging her along to my car. When I looked back, her smile was as radiant as the burning, afternoon sun.

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_And when you smile,_

_The whole world stops and stares for awhile_

_Because you're amazing,_

_Just the way you are._

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**Thanks for reading! Review a song and we'll see if yours is picked next :) Don't forget the POV! Peace home flies. BallinBlonde21: Out.**


	4. Cobra Starship: Good Girls Go Bad

**Here's the next addition (: I really like writing these, and you guys suggest really great songs! Thanks for the wonderful reviews and support! I hope you enjoy this and keep giving me songs and feedback! :D**

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Song: Good Girls Go Bad by Cobra Starship feat. Leighton Meester

Requested by: Megatron13

_She was so shy 'til I drove her wild_

_I make them good girls go bad_

_I make them good girls go bad._

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It was a few days before New Year's Eve, and Isabelle had insisted they all go out clubbing for the night. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I hated trying to blend in with the mundies. School was one thing, where everyone was sober and expected to act a certain way, but clubs? Now that was another story. Every drunk girl in the place would be trying to hang themselves off of me, and what about Clary? Did she even drink? What fun would that be? I pulled on my tight black t-shirt, trying to forget my worries and pull it together. Clary was excited, and I should be too.

She was bouncing around my bedroom, flitting here and there as she tried to keep herself in order. Isabelle had dressed her up again, in a short, white dress with silvery heels. Her hair was pinned up on her head, and her lips painted crimson. I studied my appearance, appreciative red did in fact go well with black. I might just have to borrow some of Clary's… "Jace, how do I look?" she asked, her reflection suddenly right next to mine in the mirror. I eyed her skeptically, my gaze lingering on the Morgenstern ring resting in the hollow at the base of her throat. Clary mistook my silence for distaste and frowned, her gaze slipping to the ground.

"You look beautiful," I murmured, my hands finding their familiar position on her waist. "Just one thing." I reached up and removed the clip from her hair, watching in satisfaction as her hair fell freely over her shoulders, the curls brushing lightly against her creamy, freckled skin. "Perfect." I leaned in for the kiss, watching her stretch on her tiptoes, eager to reach my lips.

"Jace! You better not ruin my masterpiece!" I groaned, releasing Clary to grab my coat. She slipped her fingers through mine and skipped downstairs to my Audi, sliding in her usual passenger seat as I opened the door for her. We sped through the streets, the glowing lights of the city merely blurs through the stain-free windows of my shiny new car. Isabelle, Simon, Alec, and Magnus followed in a similar car.

Ushering Clary into the club, I couldn't help but smile, the erratic beat and pulsing lights somehow easing my fears and drawing me closer to the music. Clary excused herself right away to follow Isabelle, who was yelling at her to get into the bathroom. I chuckled deeply, tossing a few bills on the counter and ordering a couple of drinks. The bartender didn't even question my gaze, just handed me the drinks while I spotted a vacant table with four chairs. It would do. I avoided the mess of gyrating bodies in an attempt to not spill the drinks. I neared the table and stopped to set them down when I was sent lurching forward, the drinks falling onto my shirt, soaking the thin fabric and making it cling uncomfortably.

Taking it off and dropping it on the floor, I turned to gripe at the culprit, shocked to silence when behind me stood Kaelie, a feral grin tugging at her unnaturally pink lips. She had forgone her glamour that night, and I could easily see her for the faerie she was. Her hair was still blonde, but ended in tangled vines, thorns and flowers adorning them like natural hair accessories. Her skin was dark, and her eyes were solid blue with a black pupil placed in the middle. Pink wings extended from her back, fluttering back and forth quickly. "Jace," she whispered seductively. I had almost forgotten the pull faeries had on people.

"Stop, Kaelie," I finally mustered. It was unconvincing, not as harsh as I intended it to be. Her long, pink fingernails reached out to stroke my face, and I turned, stomping away before she could lay a single hand on me. My eyes scanned the thick throngs of people for Clary, wondering what was taking her so long. I saw Isabelle grinding up against Simon directly beneath the disco ball. Simon's face was slightly green as he awkwardly swayed behind her. I looked away quickly, heat flaring to my cheeks at the sight of my sister dancing like that with a boy. Alec and Magnus bounced across from each other, smiling and laughing. I nodded in response to their greetings as I passed them, sliding sideways through the tight space. Where was Clary?

My eyes danced around, hoping to land on my favorite head of red curls. She still wasn't anywhere to be seen. I circled the perimeter of the building, making my way around to the entrance of the bathrooms, situated in a small nook off the actual club. "Clary?" I whispered into the shadows, watching a slight frame appear from the darkness. Her face was composed, but I could tell she'd been crying. I closed the distance between us in one step, engulfing her small body in my arms and kissing her hair. "What's wrong?" She let out a shaky breath into my bare chest.

Her voice was quiet, nearly lost in the hurricane of noise surrounding us. But I heard her, I could always hear her. "I don't…I don't know how to do this." She admitted, burying herself deeper into my warm, scarred skin.

"Do what, Clary?" She squeaked, her fingers gripping my belt loops.

"How to be _bad_. Izzy was in the bathroom with me, instructing me on what to do with you at the club tonight, telling me it would make you want me more than all the other girls dancing in less than appropriate clothing and—"

"Clary, I'll always want you more than the other girls." I felt her smile against my flesh.

"I know, but that doesn't stop the fact that I _want_ to be bad." I stiffened. "You make me want to let go, Jace. You make me want to not be the little-goodie-two-shoes I always am."

"Clary," I whispered huskily into her ear, my breathing labored. I was about to lose control. "Don't say things you don't mean." Her big green eyes tipped upward toward me. I could see the golden flecks swimming in the endless pools of green. They were hypnotizing, entrancing, intoxicating.

"I mean it, Jace. You make me want to lose control. I love you." My breathing faltered as I backed her up to the wall, watching her eyes grow excited, her lips quirk into a smile. I lifted her up, bracing her against the wall as she wrapped her legs around my waist. Her warm breath mingled with mine in the heated space between us, lips just inches apart.

"I'll teach you," I said firmly, kneading the skin exposed where her dress had slid up.

"Teach me what?" She whispered, tracing the hard plains of my torso with a single finger tip. The words were urgent, but hushed, like a dirty secret that only we shared. It was like nothing else existed around us, like the drunken men and women exiting the bathroom were no longer there, like the music had faded into the background, the only beat being our hearts in perfect unison. It was like the hundreds of dancing bodies on the other side of the wall had suddenly evaporated into thin air, leaving her and I alone in our perfect little bubble. She twisted closer to me, fisting her thin fingers into my hair and biting her lip with an innocent gaze. Her legs tightened around me as I leaned in closer, our lips merely millimeters apart, the rune she'd drawn on my chest pulsing with a radiating heat that extended from my body to hers, judging by the sudden flush to her cheeks. That little blush made me lose it. My control slipped, and I smirked.

"The art of being bad," I responded, before crashing my lips against hers.

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_You were hanging in the corner with your five best friends_

_You heard that I was trouble but you couldn't resist_

_I make them good girls go bad, I make them good girls go, good girls go bad._

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**Hope you ENJOYED! Review your favorite song and the POV! You could be next :)**

**~All My Love, Lovelies~**


	5. Goo Goo Dolls: Idris

**Alright my lovely readers...I am back! ANNNNDDDD for this update, I had to draw the song out of a hat (or in my case, slips of paper on a desk...because I go all out for this :P)...because I got MULTIPLE responses. YAY! :) Keep giving me songs because I am thriving on this story! Okay so this is angsty and a little bit fluffy, but I am hoping for super song requests so we can have a cute chapter next! :D Anyways...enjoy, my lovelies. **

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Song: Iris by the GooGoo Dolls

Requested by: KTrevo

_And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming,_

_Or the moment of truth in your lies._

_When everything feels like the movies,_

_Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive._

* * *

_Clary's face glittered in the light of the setting sun, her twinkling eyes smiling down at me from her high swing, her legs kicking back and forth to gain momentum. I lounged in the lawn, picking blades of grass and twirling their lifeless stems between my fingertips. She was beautiful—the girl on the swing. Her eyes painted the color of pure jade, her smile as broad as the horizon—she filled my every waking thought and even half of my dreams. I tried to laugh it off, the feelings stirring inside my gut, but it wasn't something I could easily ignore. _

_ My eleven-year-old mind was repulsed by the fact that I was infatuated with a girl. But it couldn't have just been any girl, it had to be _the _girl. Clary was my best friend, my only friend. She understood me, and accepted my cockiness. She smiled at all the right times and had a warm embrace when even the sunlight seemed too dark. She could see through me like a window. "Jace…?" she drew out my name as a question, hopping lightly from the swing and plopping down beside me. "What are you thinking about?" Her finger reached out to smooth the crease between my eyebrows, and I automatically leaned into her touch, wanting nothing more than to be near her._

_ "Jace! It's time for you to go home now!" Valentine called from the doorway. His dark eyes danced between the faces of his daughter and me, his lips puckering in disapproval. He didn't like his daughter being so close to his experiment. I pecked Clary on the cheek just to spite him, whispering a quiet goodbye in her ear. I knew I would pay for that tonight, but ever since I'd been old enough to realize his "training techniques" were wrong, I wanted to hypothetically spit in his face every chance I got. Plus I got to kiss Clary. His smile curled up into a sneer, his dark eyes devoid of human emotions. When you got close enough to look, it was like staring into two black holes that were threatening to swallow your soul. _

_ I stood up, dropping the plucked grass from my fingers and crossing through the threshold of the Morgenstern's backdoor, Valentine's fingers digging into my forearms as soon as Clary's view was obstructed by the swinging piece of wood. "Did you think that was funny, boy?" I didn't respond, just waited as he shoved me roughly down the staircase, darkness invading the space like an unwelcomed guest. The stench of decay blanketed around me as I reached the bottom, the cold seeping through my t-shirt and jeans. "On the table." His voice was foreign, only an echo of the man who'd called me in moments ago. I obliged, crawling up onto the thick piece of stone, sticky with my half-dried blood from our last session._

_ I heard rather than felt Valentine shackle me into the restraints. I'd become prone to this part, the waiting game. I'd remain down here until Clary and Jocelyn were asleep, or gone, or out of earshot. Sometimes I'd wait for mere minutes, his torture starting right away after I'd been cuffed and deemed immobile. Other times, I'd wait for hours. I'd listen to his footsteps fade as he traversed the stairs. I'd hear creaking floorboards as he interacted with his family. I'd hear Clary giggle as he told her a joke, or tickled her, or made funny faces. I'd anticipate the oncoming pain, my muscles coiled with the thoughts of the things he could do to me. I'd hear the happiness of the Morgenstern family above me and miss the fact that my family was no longer whole, that my mother could barely look at my father without disgust and that my father could barely be sober for more than an hour. Valentine's footsteps retreated to upstairs, and I was left alone in the brutal darkness._

_ When I'd told Clary that the bruise was from my father beating me up when he was drunk was partially true. It was a widely known fact that my father had become a drunkard, but neither parent had even attempted to harm me. They would have had to look at me for that, and they never did, their eyes always skimming over me as if I was nothing but mist in the air. The days that couldn't be spent with Clary were spent at the park. I'd sit on a bench and wait. I'd wait for Clary's family to come back home so I could go over. I'd wait for the nightfall when Valentine would take me into his laboratory and run tests. I'd wait for an opportunity to be noticed by someone other than the flirty girls as they strolled by in sparse clothing._

_ There was a loud booming as Valentine slammed the basement door, his footfalls loud against the staircase. I trained my ears on the sound, judging the time to his inevitable arrival. My whole body went rigid. A soft whimper had emanated from the corner. It was high, and scared, and girlish. A witchlight glowed to life, shadows darkening the walls where Valentine's fingers held onto it. Cradled in one arm was his struggling daughter. Valentine's eyes locked on mine, and a triumphant grin covered the expanse of his face._

_ He dropped Clary on the floor, and she let out a high-pitched squeak, a crack resounding about the room as he bones connected against the stone. This wasn't right. He'd told me that he wouldn't hurt her, wouldn't bring her down here ever again after the angel's blood incident as long as I continued to be his little lab rat, his test subject. "Valentine, you promised that you wouldn't—" Valentine's dark laughter cut me off. I could feel my face reddening in anger as I thrashed against the shackles. Her confused gaze was on me, cheeks red and sparkling with moisture. She was huddled in the corner with her knees tucked under her chin and arms wrapped around her legs. "Don't hurt her, Valentine. She's your _daughter_." _

_ A devilish glint reflected in the dark abyss of his eyes. "You think that I haven't hurt my own son?" His eyebrows shot up at the inquiry, and I tugged harder against my bindings. "Don't strain yourself, dear Jace. She's here to ensure your silence. Last night, you were very loud, and I would not like a repeat. I won't lay a finger on my daughter as long as the room remains quiet." His finger was pressed against my lips for emphasis. A twisted smile replaced his grin as he turned toward Clary. She shrank away from his harsh gaze, a soft cry escaping her mouth. "Ah, ah, ah, my baby Clarissa, that goes for you, too." He walked away to rummage through his instruments of torture. My eyes caught Clary's, and her mouth opened to say something. I just shook my head, breaking the connection as Valentine approached with a syringe filled with golden liquid. I knew it was more angel's blood. He'd injected it into my arms several times, and it burned like a heavenly fire. It wasn't the worst I'd experienced and for that I was thankful. I could keep my voice in check._

_ He poised the needle high above me, needing the force to elicit some kind of pain. I twisted to look at my best friend, opening my mouth and mouthing, "Don't scream," right before he plunged the syringe into my heart._

A gasp filled the stilled air as I woke with a start, my chest heaving from the brutality of reliving my darkest memories. My heart had leapt into my throat and was pounding heavily in my ears. I bit down on my cheek to hold back a holler, and the coppery taste of blood flooded into my mouth, making me stomach retch. I pressed my head firmly against the pillow, feeling my golden hair plastered to my face with sweat. I didn't even want to blink, didn't even want to close my eyes, didn't want to be enveloped in the darkness.

I laughed at my childish fear. No, the darkness of the bedroom didn't bother me. I fought against demons in darkness all the time. The shadows the crept into the world at nighttime were artificial. It was a wannabe blackness that barely even compared to the onyx depths of my mind. In there, it was crowded with so many memories of hate and pain, that before Clary flounced back into my life, I nearly forgot how to love, how to care, how to protect and cherish. I numbly rubbed my arms, trying to rid the icy chill in my veins. I swiped my fingers beneath my eyes, horrified by the tears that had pooled in their hollows. A vulgar curse broke the silence again. That memory was the one I'd tried the hardest to forget.

I tried to forget Clary's pleas for her father to stop, tried to forget the sound of his hand colliding with her face, the sharp noise as he head flew back into the wall. Of course, she didn't remember a thing, since Valentine had yanked her head to the side and traced the familiar rune just behind her ear. But I just couldn't get away from it. I'd dreamed of it almost every night since the fight with Clary's father, and every night I woke up with tears stinging against my eyes.

It was sickening to me that I had a weakness, but it made it worse that the weakness was Clary. If my enemies—and God knows I have plenty of those—ever wanted to get to me, they'd just have to touch Clary. I scrubbed my hands over my face, kicking the damp, tangled sheets from around me. I had to see her, had to make sure she was alright. I picked myself up off the bed, my limbs weak as if I had just run a marathon.

I padded barefoot down the hall, trying to silently creep up to her bedroom. I opened her closed door and peaked in, seeing her slumbering silhouette in the darkness. Her chest rose and fell peacefully in her sleep, a few contented sighs escaping her lips. I didn't really want to wake her, though I longed to pull her against my chest and fill my nose with the strawberry scent of her hair. That passion took over, and I knew I couldn't stay away. I snuck in further, wincing as my foot connected with a squeaky floorboard. Clary didn't stir, her body remaining still as I reached the side of her bed and slid in with her, snaking my arms around her waist and pulling her against me. My muscles were quivering, and her breathing hitched as she woke.

"Jace?" she asked into the darkness, pulling away from my warm embrace to look up at me. Her fingers trailed against the tracks left by the tears. "What's wrong?" her voice was still thick from sleep, but it was entwined with concern, her palm moving to cup my cheek. I winced automatically, but Clary didn't move. She knew exactly like I was thinking, as she always did. "I don't think you're being weak, Jace." She stretched up to kiss the tip of my nose, her breath fanning over my face as she whispered against my skin. "Sometimes people cry simply because they have been strong for too long."

I sighed, lifting her chin to steal another kiss before replying. "Nobody else understands." Clary pulled out of my grip for a moment to prop herself up on her elbows, making her emerald eyes level with mine. They were the same eyes that had entranced me over five years ago, and I got lost in them every time. When I looked into them, it was like I was floating through the sky, amongst the angels and the clouds, where nothing could go wrong, nothing could hurt.

"I do, Jace." Her voice was quiet, but effective, pulling me back to Earth and tethering me there, to her. It made me realize that with every bit of pain, I gained passion, with every moment of sadness, I earned a moment of pleasure. It was like the universe balancing itself out. For every second of hurt, of misery, of loss, there was an equal portion of love, and happiness, and triumph.

"I know," I murmured, pulling her tight to me. She nuzzled her face into my neck, placing soft, wet kisses where it met my shoulder. I leaned my chin in her mess of red curls, eyeing her stele where it was perched on her dresser. I pulled away, smiling slightly to know that I wasn't rejecting her. She watched me carefully as I reached over and snatched the familiar instrument, raising it in my left hand and pressing the tip into my skin.

I traced a rune on the inside of my wrist, enjoying the familiar burn. She offered me her own wrist before I could ask, and I drew an identical one on her, watching it mesh with her skin. The rune would show her everything. The rune was like a doorway to my mind, opening it for her eyes only. It would show her my memories, my feelings, my thoughts, my hopes and dreams. It would show her my nightmares, my fears, and my weakness. I watched the rune slowly fade as she saw my life played out before her, in her mind, like a movie. Of course I could select what she saw, but I wanted her to know everything. I didn't leave a single memory out, though I did tone down the pain and vulgarity of the basement ones. I spared her the gory details of the demon hunts. Yet I didn't alter the amount of love I felt for her, or my passion for looking into her eyes. I didn't change the excitement I had the moment I saw her after so many years or the electricity I felt from that first kiss. Though I knew that if the world saw all this, everything about me, they'd look at me like I was broken, like I was a shell of what could have been, that they'd coddle me and tread carefully around my feelings, I also knew that Clary would only think that I was that much stronger. I wanted her to see everything, to know that she was not alone in this, that I loved her more than words could describe. "I know you understand, Clary, and that is why I want you to know everything, to know who I am."

* * *

_And I don't want the world to see me_

'_Cause I don't think that they'd understand._

_When everything's made to be broken,_

_I just want you to know who I am._

* * *

**_Alllrighttttt...review...because I can't right another one without another song...I'd like to thank all the reviewers that have offered kind words and I'd like to thank Megatron13 and KTrevo for giving me awesome songs...keep it up guys...you are AMAZING :)...alright...touch that review button! Thanks!_**

**_~All My Love, BallinBlonde21_**

**_BTW...I am looking for a beta for this story and Tackling Destiny...PM me if you are interested! Thanks much! :)_**


	6. Taylor Swift: You Belong With Me

**I literally just typed this and didn't reread it...O.o...so there are probably (definitely) lots of mistakes...sorry about that...but you know what I realized...this is my first Clary POV for this fanfic...whoa man...haha thanks for reviewing all the songs! :) I listened to each one of them before I picked one randomly from pieces of paper off my desk...I LIKE THEM ALL! And I also LOVE the chorus to Levitate...it's one of my favorite songs haha but I didn't pick that one...bummer...that's okay because I also happen to LOVE the song I picked :) so...enjoy!**

* * *

Song: You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift

Requested by: UniqueStreak

_If you could see that I'm the one who understands you._

_Been here all along so why cant you see_

_You belong with me, you belong with me?_

* * *

"Clary, hold still," Isabelle complained at my reflection, making disapproving tsking noises with every motion. I'd been perched in front of this mirror for what seemed like hours, tilting my head and positioning my body according to Izzy's commands. I had asked her why we didn't just use the glamour, but Izzy said it took all the fun away from dressing up. I sighed, but conceded, allowing her to paint thick liquids onto my skin.

It was New Year's Eve, and Isabelle was boisterously singing along to the song "2012" by Jay Sean and Nicki Minaj. "_Turn it up. Turn it up. Mash it up. It ain't the end of the world_." I suppressed an eye roll, watching long, strong fingers push bobby pins into my hair, piling it atop my head in a red heap.

"_Bottles popping 'til we can't stand, we keep it rocking 'til_—Done!" she finally said, dropping her hands from my scalp and planting them on her hips as she surveyed her work. I ignored my own reflection, eyeing the girl standing above me in the mirror. Her usually flowing black hair was separated into slim braids, falling at three-quarters of the length they used to, brushing just two inches past her shoulders. Each braid was adorned by a golden bead fastened an inch above the ends. Woven through the knotted strands were cords of thick, golden rope, wrapping around her hair and then over her head like a headband. Her eyes were lined heavily with long, cat-like sweeps that nearly reached her hairline. Over her eyelids and up to her dark eyebrows was shadowed in a smoky gray shade. Her usually dark, mischievous irises had an air of mystery to them tonight that mingled with a slight glint of excitement.

"Stand up, Clary! I need a picture!" I watched the girl scurry from my bedroom, long shimmering gown swishing elegantly around her gladiator sandals. Her stacks of metal bracelets jangled around her wrists as she rushed down the hallway, beads and braids flying behind her. I couldn't hold in my smile.

I stood up and trotted over to the full length mirror, pushing a loose pin back into my hair. Tonight's elite party was a dress-up party, and everyone had to come as a celebrity. I had originally planned to go as Emily Dickinson by pulling my hair into a severe bun, wearing a simple dress, and walking around with a piece of paper and a pen. Isabelle had shot down that idea with a look of disgust and a simple, "Ewwww, Clary, nooooo. We want classy, but no."

That's how I ended up looking like this. My face didn't belong to me anymore. It had lips painted perfectly in a glossy shade of crimson. It had fake eyelashes that enhanced the color of the scratchy contact lenses that changed the emerald color to an icy blue. The girl in the mirror was beautiful with bright cheeks and thin, arching eyebrows. She looked like something that stepped directly out of the 1950s. I was vaguely aware of the black, polka-dotted dress brushing against my knees, of the fabric of the sleeves wrapped tightly around my upper arms, over the Morgenstern ring bouncing evenly against my throat. I watched the girl in the mirror copy my every motion, yet she wasn't me. She couldn't be! She looked so mature and elegant, containing none of the insecurities that sixteen-year-old Clarissa Morgenstern wore around like a cloak. With another bat of the extremely long eyelashes, I turned my gaze to my perfectly manicured fingernails.

There was a scuffling as Isabelle breezed back into the room, expensive camera in hand. "Okay, got it!" she said, her usual cool demeanor replaced by one of almost child-like glee. Her face cracked into a huge smile as she saw her project in full. She'd hit my character dead on. "I'm so glad I made you rethink the Emily Dickinson costume."

"Me, too," I mumbled, thinking about how I'd have been able to hide in the shadows if I had dressed as drably as the famous poet. Dressed like this, there was no way I could avoid unwanted attention from my classmates. They all knew that my dad and my brother were missing, and their eyes were filled with pity as I walked by each and every one of them. It was annoying and unnecessary. I didn't need to be reminded of the horrific events of the past few months and preferred to stick to the sidelines, not drawing notice to myself.

The club had been simple, a simple escape. Nobody there knew me. I was free to be who I was without the constant chorus of, "I'm sorry for your loss," or the softening eyes and special treatment. I didn't need it. I wasn't weak. Izzy's chiding voice shattered my musings. "Smile, Clary. You look constipated." I watched the mirror-girl's red lips stretch into an almost-convincing smile. I envied her. She only had a surface. She didn't have the constant internal ache that yearned for something she couldn't have. She didn't have to hide the fact that she was only completely happy when in the safe cocoon of Jace's arms. I, on the other hand, had to wear a mask. To Isabelle and Alec and Simon, I was perfectly content, laughing and smiling at appropriate moments, joining in on the usual group activities. Only Jace, who was so attuned to my emotions, realized my essence had shifted. He'd held me, he'd showed me his love for me, he'd kissed me, and still, after the tingling sensation disappeared, I was all alone.

"That's gonna have to do," she sighed, frowning as she scrolled through the pictures on her camera. "Time for this queen to get to the ball." I stifled a snort. Isabelle, dressed as Cleopatra, had been referring to herself as a queen all day. She'd even been humming The Bangle's hit "Walk Like an Egyptian." Her camera made a beeping noise as she shut it off, turning on her heal and leaving in a rush of black, gold, and clanking metal. I limply followed her, my retreat much quieter than hers. I took a sharp turn and met up with the group in the kitchen, watching three sets of eyes appraise our costumes, the golden ones lingering longer than the others.

"Pothinus!" Isabelle beckoned Simon forward, his chin-length, black wig brushing against his jaw bone. He had darkly lined eyes and glimmering, golden lips. He glowered at the floor as he looped his arm through Isabelle's. I couldn't tell if he was angrier because he was dressed as Cleopatra's servant or because he was forced to wear makeup. That elicited a small giggle from me as I jerked my attention to the other two boys. My lips quirked into a smile.

Jace's hair was purposely mussed, hanging in random curls around his face. He wore black pants with a belts slung low around his hips, a gun holster hanging from the side. He had on a white shirt that was open and exposed the golden skin of his chest, snippets of his marking from me visible on the exposed flesh. Over that he was a brown vest, his expression fierce. Next to him stood Alec, who looked nothing like Alec. He didn't even look human. The struck the "Charlie's Angels" pose, Jace with his plastic—or what I hoped was plastic—gun in the air, and Alec with his index fingers steepled to mock a gun, his furry mask obscuring his facial expression.

"Han Solo and Chewbacca!" I realized with a half-real, half-forced smile .

At the same time, Izzy gave the two boys a _Seriously? _look and reproached, "_Star Wars_? You are so going to get us kicked out of this party." She turned toward the door, grabbing her sparkly clutch. "Come, Pothinus!" Simon followed at her heels, his eyes toward the floor like a sad puppy. I saw him glance backward, probably wishing he could throw on a Luke Skywalker costume and force Isabelle to be Princess Leia. The two boys were chuckling at the retreating pair, and Alec was practicing his Wookiee talk. I watched Church pad into the room, mewing and scratching at a pair of green, elf-like ears that had been secured to his head.

I picked up the poor creature and held it in front of my face. "Master Yoda," Jace said, staring intently at the discontented cat, "may the force be with you." I bit back a snort, setting Yoda-cat on the ground.

"You guys are such nerds," I teased, picking at the seams of my dress. The duo just laughed, mock punching each other.

"I need to go grab Maggie." Alec moved toward the door, calling over his shoulder, "I'll catch you guys later!" The door shut with a dull thump behind him, leaving Jace and I alone in the room. I drug the toe of my high heel across the tiling, propping an elbow against the counter and tracing patterns against the surface.

"Lucille Ball," Jace commented, next to me on the counter and lifting my chin with the tips of his fingers. "Blue eyes and all." He sounded slightly disappointed, and I crushed the wave of rejection curling through me.

"Do you not like it?" I asked, attempting and failing at keeping the anxiousness out of my voice. I hoped, at least, my expression was still neutral.

"You're gorgeous no matter how you look," he paused for a moment. "I was just hoping you'd be Princess Leia." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and I smacked him upside the head, finding myself laughing at his casual smirk.

"You make a perfect Han Solo. You're both cocky." Jace maimed hurt momentarily before wrapping his arm around my waist and pressing his lips against my ear.

"Wanna see my gun collection?" His voice was husky with the innuendo. I shoved him away, laughing at the way his warm breath tickled my cheek.

"Alright, Han Solo, we better go or we are going to be late."

"We're already late," Jace said, showing her the time on his cell phone. It was eleven thirty-six. Shrugging on my fur coat that Isabelle had borrowed me, I grabbed his arm and towed him through the door, hearing his mumbled complaints about being led around like a dog.

"Good, boy," I cooed when he slid into the driver's seat. I reached out and scratched gently behind his ear, watching his head fall to the side and his leg shake excitedly, his tongue lolling out to the side. I giggled, squealing as he leaned over and licked my cheek. "Drive, dog." He laughed and turned the key in the ignition, easily guiding his precious Audi out of the parking lot and down the street. I returned to silence, worrying about the glances and whispers that were sure to greet me at the party.

Jace just turned onto the main road and glanced in my direction. "Hey," he murmured, resting his big hand on my thigh, his touch burning through the thin fabric of my dress. "They aren't even gonna recognize you. Trust me." Ever since Jace had opened his past to me a few nights ago, he seemed to know everything I was thinking. He flipped his palm over as an invitation, and I wove my fingers through his, smiling as he raised my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.

All too soon, Jace cut the engine and opened my door for me, my heels clicking against the cobblestone drive. Above me loomed a mansion, with realistic statues lining the walk. A fountain bubbled in the center of the entry, and Jace linked our arms together, leading me down the maze of stepping stones that curled up to the grand front door. It was at least six feet taller than me, with ornate knockers at the middle of each door. It was opened from inside, and Jace ushered me inside the house and out of the cold.

"Whose house is this?" I whispered as we entered the house. My coat was removed by a man in a tux and whisked away to another room. I watched the guy disappear around the corner before looking at where we were going. We'd veered left after walking five feet into the house and were instantly met with the erratic beat of hip hop music. Bodies swayed to the beat on a glowing dance floor, the disco ball scattering shimmering flakes of light about the room.

"Aline Penhallow's. It's her party." I made an _ahh_ noise and continued to scan the room. Looking up, there was a giant timer that was ticking down the seconds to midnight. It was in eleven minutes and eighteen seconds. I felt a pang of longing when I saw the large plasma television set to watch the ball drop. I'd watched it with my family every year, and it had been our goal to see it in New York City. Now I was in New York City, planning on watching it on television. I sighed, reaching out for a pink drink that was being offered to me by a waiter.

"Thanks," I said earnestly to the guy, sipping from it just as a high voice rang out above the music, causing me to choke back the liquid.

"Jace Herondale?" I looked around for the person calling to him, and found her in the form of a girl about four inches taller than me, with brown, almond-shaped eyes and a thin, even smile. She was thin, and by the way the guys' eyes trailed her, I could see that every one of them wanted her. Jealousy dotted my vision as I watched her touch Jace's arm and heard him greet her by name. So this was Aline. My eyes bore into her, hoping for her to catch a glimpse of my anger. That was before I noticed her costume.

Her hair was curled in two buns around her ears, and she wore a white dress. _Princess Leia_, I thought wryly, wondering whether or not it was a coincidence. It was like someone poured gasoline on my flame of loathing. She was so close to Jace that their toes were touching. Her nose met evenly with his lips, but when she tilted her face up to look into his eyes, those lips were merely millimeters from his. "Come dance!" she commanded, dragging him onto the dance floor. I saw his eyes look around the room, but they lacked the sense of alarm that I would have liked to see. Maybe he wanted to dance with her. Who knew? I finished my drink and left the half empty glass on a random table, dancing around the swaying people. I couldn't find Izzy. There had to be at lease fifteen Cleopatra's at the party, but none of them were being trailed by a sad, makeup-wearing boy.

I saw Aline swaying with her arms around his neck, a big, triumphant grin on her face as she chatted happily. I couldn't see Jace's face, couldn't tell if it was out of politeness or out of interest that he was listening. I checked the clock. There was only seven minutes to midnight, and Jace was too entranced by Aline to even notice me. I didn't see their dance ending in the perceivable future, so I walked away from the thriving party and into a secluded room of the home. The lights were off, but that didn't matter. I slid my stele out from where I'd so skillfully hid it in my dress and touched it to the wall. The rune glowed and flashed brilliantly before opening the swirling abyss of the portal. I numbly stepped through, thinking of Time's Square and the perfect, shining ball.

I landed on a rooftop, high above the buzzing crowd that filled the streets. With the violet sky above me and the swarms of people below me, I had the perfect view of the ball. Snow had settled on the building, and I shivered, wishing I had my coat to wrap up in. I crept closer to the edge, silently ticking away the minutes to when the 2012 would finally arrive.

I couldn't get that girl's voice out of my head. _Come dance! Come dance!_ Well, she'd gotten her dance, and with that, taken away my midnight kiss. I leaned my head against my palm, having slid down to sit on a dry patch of the concrete ground. Why had Jace so graciously accepted her dancing? Had he even thought about me? "Four minutes!" a voice called, floating through a nearby speaker. A tear slipped down my cheek, and I shivered again.

"Cold?" a velvety voice asked. I felt my fur coat being placed on my shoulders, and then someone sank down next to me. Jace had removed his Han Solo vest, and just looked like his usual self now. He didn't even appear cold as he sat next to me in his t-shirt.

"How did you find me?" There was a hint of anger in my voice, but it was coated so thickly with sadness that I'm not sure he even heard.

"I can always find you," he replied, skirting around the real answer. I laughed without humor.

"You jumped into my portal."

"Yep." I didn't look at him, just stared right out at the shimmering ball suspended above NYC. My breathing was ragged as I held back the sobs threatening to escape. A part of me was overjoyed that he had come, but another part was still clinging to the anger caused by Aline.

"Why did you dance with Aline?" I asked blatantly. I didn't feel like sugarcoating things tonight.

"She's an old friend." I cringed at the idea of what could have occurred between Jace and someone as gorgeous as Aline. I shivered again as the bitter wind whipped through my coat, and I felt the weight of his arm across my shoulders, pulling me into his warm side. He kissed my Lucille Ball up-do, and whispered into my hair, "It was completely platonic, Morgen." I couldn't resist that name, and he knew it too. "I'm not even her type." My eyebrows furrowed.

"You mean…?" I dragged it out as a question.

"She kept gushing about how gorgeous you were." I blushed, feeling slightly ashamed of thinking that Jace would do anything to hurt me. His hands were on my face, and the New York buzz faded around me. I was where I loved to be most, in my bubble that was only for Jace and me. "And you know what? I agree." My blush grew fiercer as he leaned in closer, his lips curving up into my favorite, uneven grin. Right before our lips touched, his eyes looked deeply into mine, so unguarded that I could for once see every layer of emotion swirling inside of them.

I saw his protectiveness over me. I saw his cocky sparkle. I saw the harsher dark colors and the happier light ones. Most of all, I saw the melted gold as he gazed at me, my awed expression visible in his midnight pupils. I felt his breath fan across my face, warming my cold cheeks. "Look," he breathed. I followed his finger. There was counting as the seconds ticked by. There were fireworks exploding as the ball fell, sparkling and lighting up the night as it slid down the pole, lower and lower.

There was cheering and kissing and dancing as the screen above flashed, "Happy 2012!" In big, bright letters. I smiled, and for the first time in awhile, felt genuinely happy. I may not have a father or a brother right now, but I had my mother, and my friends, and most of all, I had Jace. I turned my attention back to the boy beside me, who was watching me with a new interest. "You know," he said, positioning his face to where it was a few moments before, "Han Solo may love Princess Leia, but _I Love Lucy_."

I smiled and smacked his cheek lightly. "You're so corny. " He grinned, pressing his lips against mine, but not kissing me yet.

"Happy New Year, baby." Our mouths parted, his lips hot enough to melt the snow that was around us. Gentle flakes began to fall in the cold night, and I wrapped both of us in my fur coat, Jace's warm skin against my arms beneath the fur, lips still connected. It was a clash of teeth. It was fingers wound in hair. It was synchronized heartbeats. It was magical. It was perfect. Finally, for once since the recent events, everything seemed right.

* * *

_Have you ever thought just maybe,_

_You belong with me? _

_You belong with me._

* * *

**I LOVE STAR WARS! hahahahahahaha when I was little Chewy was my fave! What did you think of Alec as Chewy? Hmmm...;) If you didn't understand the I Love Lucy bit, Lucille Ball was a famous model/actress and that was her show! :) hahaha and if you haven't seen the music video for this song...watch it! I love it! This is all you will hear from me for awhile, my lovelies! If you wanna know why, check out my latest chapter for _Perfect Life, Perfect Spike_. And we already know that Jace belongs with Clary, but hey, we need to be reminded once in awhile :D Okay review a song...something fluffy perhaps? We need more than just the innocent amount of fluff I put in these...so get on it! I seriously love all the songs you review, and I wish I could write one for every single one...hmmm maybe as a treat I'll write multiple ones for the next chapter...Okay, here's the DEAL...**

**_IF I GET 30 REVIEWS OR MORE_**

**...I will write multiple one-shots for the next chapter! YAY! REVIEW...(Songs and other stuff of course!) :D KK...Peace Out girlscouts...and boyscouts? (If boys read this...I'd love to know)! ~BallinBlonde21 **


	7. Brandon Flowers: Crossfire

**Meh...not my best work...oh well...it will have to do...(major writer's block)...we didn't reach the quota so there's only one...oh well...here you go :)**

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Song: Crossfire by Brandon Flowers

Requested by: KTrevo

_There's a still in the street outside your window_

_Your keeping secrets on your pillow_

_Let me inside, no cause for alarm_

_I promise tonight not to do no harm_

_I promise ya, babe, I won't do ya no harm_

* * *

Isabelle's giggling floated in from the living room, the noise startling me awake. I was sprawled out across my bed, arms and legs taking up the entire expanse of the mattress. Propping myself up on my elbows, I lazily swiped my arm across my face, hoping to rid of any traces of drool. It was dim in my room. Only my bedside lamp illuminated the area, casting a yellow pool of light right by my pillow. Sighing, I snatched the open book from where I'd knocked it onto the floor, realizing that I had yet again fallen asleep while attempting to read my book for English class. She was about halfway through, and the final test was tomorrow.

Hoisting myself up off the bed, I combed through my tangled mop of curls. After adjusting my t-shirt and gym shorts, I snapped off my lamp and shuffled from the room, finding my friends gathered in the living room. The television was on, and the four gathered around it were carrying on a conversation while watching the screen. "Ryan Gosling is definitely the reason this movie was so popular," Isabelle was saying in a _don't-question-my-theory_ tone. "He's got killer abs and the prettiest blue eyes ever!" She smiled dreamily up at the character on the T.V. Simon looked at her incredulously.

"So abs and blue eyes are really your thing?" He looked almost hurt, and Alec and Magnus, who were cuddling on the opposite sofa, pretended not to pay attention. Rolling her eyes, Isabelle tucked herself into his side, poking his chest with one, long index finger.

"Brown eyes and drummers are my thing, too." Simon snorted, and she pouted, playing with the hemline of his t-shirt. "I mean, if you wanted to work on your abs, I'm wouldn't protest—"

"Well I think Steve Carell was the really selling point for this DVD. He's hilarious," Magnus interjected with a flourish, drawing attention away from Izzy's little escapade. Alec nodded at his boyfriend, looking relieved to be spared from viewing another one of his sister's silly fights.

Holding in a giggle, I plopped down onto a leather chair that faced the big wall of windows, tucking my feet underneath me and propping the book in my lap. It was a strange book, and I wondered why I hadn't been able to draw an interesting book out of the hat. Jace was reading _The Hunger Games_! Other students were reading _Twilight_ and some book called _The City of Bones_. We were at a section in our English class about modern literature. This book was written in 1999. How was that modern? I pushed my hair off my face, shoving my nose into the words and hoping that it would hold my interest long enough for me to finish it.

Almost immediately, my eyelids began drooping. I really wished Jace was here to keep me awake like he usually did, but he was out demon hunting with Sebastian, one of our teammates. Alec had offered to go, but even I was able to tell that he wanted to stay with Magnus. I would have offered to go, but Jace really did need a little male bonding time. I'd seen him observing my nearly unused eyeliner the other day, and I thought he could use a masculine buddy. I shook my head to clear it, becoming conscious to the fact that I'd just been staring out at the streetlamps that lit the roads below. This was going to be a long night.

Reducing my friends' chatter to an incomprehensible buzz, I flipped to the next page, warily eyeing the words. I fall into an ignorant lull, barely remembering the words I read. "Oh, he's so dreamy!" Isabelle gushed loudly, and I smirked into my pages, imagining the annoyed look that would undoubtedly be displayed on the guy's faces. I turned the page again, the thick paper rustling beneath my fingertips. _Chapter 64_, the big bold print on the top told me. I groaned. This book had so many chapters and so few events. I read quickly, wanting to be finished and watch the rest of the movie with them.

When I reached page 133, my blood froze. The sound was drowned out by a roaring in my ears, flashes of memories creeping up at me. Why would there be a book like this? Why was I supposed to read it? The book began to slip from my fingertips, darkness crashing down around me. I stood up and stumbled drunkenly toward my room, not wanting anyone to witness my fallout.

_"You love me, don't you?"_ His voice raided my thoughts, pulling every bit of fear and pain from that day to the surface. I tried to claw away from the boy, to drag myself back to reality, but the weight of the pain was too much. My breathing became labored, my legs numb. I felt the book fall from my hands with a thud, felt my body sink onto the bed. My nose was filled with the memory of the stench of his breath, my skin crawling with his touch.

I could feel the tears now, hot and sticky as they rolled of my face. ""Stop it," I pleaded with the memory. It was tainted. In this version, I wasn't going to get away. "Stop it! Please!" My voice was loud, and there were heavy thuds approaching me. Had Paul brought a friend?

"Clary?" the voice didn't match the face that I saw behind my eyelids. It was gently, worried. Paul's groping hands were anything but worried. "Clary!" There was a pressure on my cheek, and I involuntarily flinched away.

"_Say it, say that you love me." _Dark eyes flashed in my mind. "No! I don't love you!" I sobbed, feeling a warm sensation on engulf my hand. I thrashed around.

"Clary, please, it's not real," the voice cooed. "Open your eyes, Angel." It was nearly impossible to disobey the man's request. His words were laced with anxiousness and compassion. "Please, baby, I won't let anyone hurt you. Open your eyes for me." I whimpered against the pain of Paul's hand across my face.

Then suddenly, the repulsive man fled my imagination and was swapped for one of golden glory. Jace. The heat on my hand increased to electric sparks. Jace was here. He squeezed my hand reassuringly. I blinked open my eyes, taking in the closed door, and the lines of worry between Jace's eyebrows. He was standing next to my bed, his fighting gear still intact. "Clary—" I threw my arms around him, breathing in his scent. I hadn't feared the Paul incident in a long time. My heart was like a jackhammer against my ribcage, and I released a shaky breath as Jace's arms copied my strong grip. He scooped me up and held me hard against him, burying his face into the crook of my neck. Fire exploded where he placed soft kisses.

"Jace," I whispered, his mere name giving me comfort. I tightened my arms around his neck and snuggled closer, feeling every curve of his muscle beneath my body. He was safety. Paul was not. He was solid. Paul was not. A series of thoughts like this ran through my mind before he spoke again.

"What happened?" His question was tentative, and he settled me on the bed, the pillows piled around me. I noticed he kept his distance from me. Was he afraid? I bit my lip to keep the rejection off my face. Pointing toward the discarded book, I saw a flicker of confusion cross his face. He picked it up and read the title.

"You were reading _Speak_?" I nodded, snatching my dolphin pillow pet from the mountain behind me and cuddling him to my chest. "The book _Speak_ had you thrashing around and screaming that you didn't love me?" I shook my head, horrified that he thought that phrase was meant for him. The tears had never seized, continuing to roll down my face. A strangled sob managed to escape my tight lips. I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling the bed sag beneath his weight as he sat down beside me. His hands came up to wipe my eyes. I didn't trust my voice right now, knowing it would be weak and afraid and confusing, so instead, I grabbed the book from him. Blinking back my tears long enough to focus on the page numbers.

I handed it back to him and motioned for him to read. He obliged, and I looked away, playing with my fingers in my lap. There was a sound of shock as he realized what this was about. "Oh, Clary," he said, pulling me into his arms so that I was settled in his lap. He captured another tear with a kiss.

"It was scary." My voice shook, and Jace's eyes focused on mine. The golden orbs were swimming with empathy, his features stricken.

"I won't let him touch you ever again," he growled, pulling me closer to him so that my legs were straddling his. "If I had stopped Kaelie sooner—" I pressed a finger to his lips.

"Stop blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong in my life, Jace." He shook his head, his golden curls framing his face.

"I love you, Clarissa Morgenstern. I would never hurt you like that." I leaned in, placing my lips right against him. Tasting my own salty tears against them, I smiled.

"I know, Herondale." He grabbed my hips and pulled me down on top of him, cupping my cheeks with his hands. I threaded my fingers through the fine hairs at the nape of his neck, feeling his heartbeat against my own. His hands were gentle, his thumbs sweeping across my cheekbones. His kisses were soft and loving. He whispered sweet things into my mouth, his voice like a tender caress. My fingers played with the hemline of his shirt for awhile before he got tired and stripped it off for me. His scars and marks were on open display, and I let my fingers roam freely across his skin, not repulsed by the jagged lines that slashed up and down. I loved his every flaw because that was what made him my Jace. All his imperfections and perfections mounded atop each other to construct the man that lay before me, the man that would throw himself in front of a bullet for me, the man who would love me forever. He was my Heaven on Earth, my sanctuary in Hell, my avenging angel. We both had experienced far more pain than any sixteen-year-old should deal with, but we did it together, and I knew for a fact that we would continue to fight our way through life, side-by-side. We were just caught somewhere between Heaven and Hell, on a place called Earth, and to me, he was my guardian angel. And by the way he looked at me, I was his too. He pulled away and planted a kiss on the end of my nose, smiling up at me, his gaze dancing between my eyes.

"What are you thinking about?" He smoothed a curl off my forehead.

"You with a halo and angel wings." He smirked.

"Kinky..." I smacked him on the arm, relishing in the rumbling motion of his body when he laughed. His arm reached behind me, and I turned my head to see what he was doing. He brushed off the cover of _Speak_ and looked up at me thoughtfully before tucking me underneath his arm. "What do you say we finish the book together?" I smiled and rested my chin on his chest.

"I couldn't think of anything better."

* * *

_Tell the devil that he can go back from where he came_

_His arrows drew their beat in vain_

_And when the hardest part is over, we'll be here_

_And our dreams will break the boundaries of our fear_

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**_Soooo...review?_**


	8. Neon Hitch: Love U Betta

**This one was FUN! because A) I love this song...and B) I LOVE THIS SONG :) haha so it's really, really fluffy, but no lemons because this story is rated T...sorry :) I'm only a teenager myself ;) Anyways...one of my longer one-shots but it was really fun to write...lots of mistakes since I didn't reread it over more than once, but hey, I have to get up early and I wanted to update before I went to bed...You're welcome for my awesomeness :) Anyways...ENJOY :)**

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Song: Love U Betta by Neon Hitch

Requested by: BittenByAibee

_I feel like I'm losing my mind, mind_

_She crept into your life, life_

_And cut me up like a knife, knife, yeah_

_Hey, hey, few things that I wanna say, ay_

_Still got my dignity, ay_

_No one'll love you like me, ee_

* * *

I checked my reflection in the mirror, glancing nervously backwards at Izzy who was too busy marveling at herself in the reflection of her iPhone. My best friend was so high maintenance. I didn't understand how Simon kept up with her. She always had to be doing something, going somewhere, touching someone. It usually had my head whirling, and Simon basically spent all week with her. I sighed and slumped back onto my bed next to Isabelle.

She was blowing a bubble with her gum, combing her fingers through her flat-ironed, inky hair. A bored expression passed through her onyx eyes as she crossed her ankles in the air, her chunky boots clanking together loudly. "Izzy," I pouted at the runway model, batting my mascaraed eyelashes in her direction, "why do I have to do this?" Isabelle blew another pink bubble in between her painted lips, smirking as it popped.

"Because, Clary, I saw Kaelie approach Jace in the lobby like an hour ago," she replied in her signature can't-you-keep-up-with-me tone. I glared at her, showing her that no, I could most definitely not keep up with this whirlwind fashionista. "Oh, come on, Clary. You know you want to stake your claim on him as much as I want to help you." She eyed my look appraisingly.

"Not like this!" I hissed under my breath, uncomfortable under her scrutiny. She laughed and leaned in to swipe her finger under my left eye, undoubtedly washing away a smudge left behind by her horrid makeup.

"You look great, babe. He won't be able to keep his hands off you." I made a noise that resembled growling, and Isabelle ignored this, turning her attention back to the glossy pages of a fashion magazine she'd stashed in her purse—if you could even call it that since it was the size of a suitcase. I rolled my eyes. Sure, I wanted Kaelie to back off, but did I really want to do it like this? I pressed my index fingers to my temples and massaged slightly. I think all these tight clothes were giving me a headache. I rose from the bed, making sure to shake it a little so that Izzy flopped all around. I smiled sweetly, and she called me a very unladylike name. I blew her a kiss, ignoring her as she pretended to deflect it.

Positioning myself back in front of the reflecting glass, I raked my eyes over the girl who stared back. Every time I looked in a mirror when Isabelle was with me, I was startled by the person trapped within the glass. I was not disappointed today as I gazed into the speculum. "Izzy," I groaned again, my eyes still fixed on the luminous green ones that appeared to look right through me, "I can't go out there like this! It's so embarrassing."

"Come on, Clary. It's not like you're naked or anything!"

"Practically!" I squeaked, my head jerking at the sound of my voice. Isabelle's tinkling laughter filled the room. "Not funny," I retorted over my shoulder. I pulled at the hemline of the very short, very revealing black dress. It dangled mid-thigh and hugged me tight _everywhere_. Isabelle had forced me into an actual bra. Not like the thin cotton ones or stretchy sports ones I usually wore. Not, this was a full-blown push-up bra with about three inches of padding on the bottom. It was humiliating, the neckline allowing my new-found cleavage to peek out and say hello.

She'd ironed my hair stick straight, and the locks fell far past where the usually hung at the center of my back. Straightened, the red tendrils brushed the top of my hips and swirled around me like I was lit on fire. I liked my hair straight, though I'd never tell her that since over half of my getting ready process consisted of yanking and burning my hair with Izzy's hot tools. She'd brushed black, liquid eyeliner onto my eyelids and swooped it out to create dramatic cat-eyes. She'd nearly stabbed my eye out with her mascara wand, clucking her tongue at the way I'd flinched and made her swipe it across my cheek.

"Suck it up, Clary. You are sixteen and are now going out there to snatch your man." I looked at her incredulously.

"Jace didn't do anything with Kaelie, Isabelle. You said their conversation ended as quickly as it began." Isabelle shifted so she was sitting cross-legged on my bed, her magazine forgotten as it slid to the floor. Our gazes locked in the mirror, and she smiled.

"Now, young Clary, since you are so…foreign…to the ways of guys, let me be the first to teach you. Teenage boys are like dogs. Some are pretty. Some are not. Some are friendly. Some will bite you. Some will outright hump your leg—"

"Where is this going, Izzy? " I interrupted before things could get too awkward. She held up her hand, silently telling me to let her finish.

"Like I was saying, boys are like dogs. After they are trained, they need constant praise and care to make sure they don't forget what they have been taught."

"You're saying that I _taught_ Jace to stay with me?" I quirked an eyebrow like Jace always did and unleashed what he called his, "King of Skepticism," look.

"Nooooo," she said quickly, her voice a little deeper than normal. Sarcasm. Nice touch, Isabelle. "I was saying, this is your way of praising him for doing a good job with Kaelie today." My harsh look didn't falter as I stuck my neck out in the universal way of asking _What the fuuuu, are you crazy?_

"I am going to _reward_ my boyfriend for not cheating on me when he had the opportunity. If that were the case, I'd be dressing like a sex-crazed whore every day. Girl's are readily available to Jace, Izzy." Sighing, Isabelle collected her vanity of beauty products and stuffed them into her bag. After double checking the room for things she'd left behind, she looked at me, a sly smile on her face. She never got offended when I questioned her opinions. I thought she thrived on good arguments.

"Alright, Clary, you're loss. But you are a teenager. I suggest you have a little fun." She winked at me before walking out the door, leaving it opened a crack so that I could hear her tell Jace goodbye. I sighed, sinking down onto the floor. In my position, I'm pretty sure anyone could get a perfect view of the red, lacy scrap of cloth Isabelle passed off as underwear.

Was Izzy right? Was I being a complete prude? Was Jace going to get bored? I ran my hands over my face, gentle enough not to smudge Izzy's work. He'd done so much for me in the past few weeks. Aside from helping me through the truth of my father, he'd done so much. He'd been there for me on my first Christmas without my brother and dad. He'd kissed me and made me feel special at the club when I thought I wasn't being bad enough for him. He'd never taken advantage of me even at my weakest points. Maybe I did owe him a little fun. What was it going to hurt?

_I'm bossy! I'm the first girl to scream on the track. I switched up the beat of the drum_—I dove across my bed to snatch the phone before the song stopped playing. "What do you want, Isabelle?" I glowered into the phone, recognizing Isabelle's personal ringtone. I heard her suck in a huge breath and knew there was going to be a rant.

"Okay, you know that by 'fun' I didn't mean to jump in and lose your virginity, because I didn't. But if you chose to, make sure it's safe and—"

"Thanks, Mom." I rolled my eyes as she continued as if I hadn't even spoken. "I'm hanging up on you now," I warned her mid-speech.

"No, Clary, wait!" I pressed the end-call button, texting her a quick message that _the talk_ had already happened in the Morgenstern household, and I didn't need to hear it a second time from her. I made sure to type _lol_ at the end to show her I wasn't angry with her. I checked the red lipstick that Isabelle had tediously smoothed across my lips to make sure that talking hadn't smudged it. I wiped away a bit of red at the corner of my mouth, raising my eyebrows at myself. Izzy was certainly having an effect on me. I turned off my phone and put it on my nightstand, trying to keep my breathing in check.

I really was going to do this. I was going to attempt to seduce my boyfriend in high hopes that next time Kaelie walked up to him, he would just ignore her as if she were a piece of dust in the air. And not like one of the huge pieces that caught your eye during class and made you stare at them for the entire hour because—_what am I doing? _ I internally yelled at myself for stalling. My chest was heaving up and down in the tight confines of my dress, and I felt like I was hyperventilating. Was that sweat trickling off my forehead?

I press my face up tight to the doorjamb, peering curiously through the crack. I couldn't see Jace, but the loud voices on the television told me he was in the living room. He wasn't talking to anyone, so Alec must be spending the night at Magnus's. _Again_, I add mentally, tallying the number of nights he'd been gone. They far trumped the one's he'd spent in our dorm room. Not that I was complaining. Focusing on what Jace is watching helps calm my fluttering heart. Sure, Jace and I had kissed before. We'd kissed lots, but this was completely foreign territory. We were alone in our dorm room, and Isabelle had me dressed like a movie-star hooker. I began to struggle to breathe again and listened to the speakers.

_Whatchya doin'? _ I high, girlie voice said. I smirked. My big, macho boyfriend was watching _Phineas and Ferb_. What was I so afraid of? I took a step out the door, the eight-inch, cheetah-print heels Isabelle had borrowed me clacking against the hardwood surface. I kicked them back into my bedroom. That was completely silly to walk around my own room in high heels, though Isabelle never seemed to remove her shoes. Ever. I wonder if she sleeps with them on—_Woman-up, Clary and go out there! _ My inner voice screams at me. Great, now I'm hearing voices. I roll with it, tiptoeing down the hallway and to the edge of the living room.

His back is toward me, his blond hair in perfect disarray. I can imagine the look of pure interest on his face as he watched the orange-haired and green-haired boys build unimaginable contraptions that disappear at the end of the day. He was such a dork. Only a week ago I caught him shouting out answers to Dora's questions…in French. He even had to top two-year-olds. Competitive, self-centered—_Clary! _ "I'm going. I'm going," I muttered, slightly afraid that I had just defended myself to myself. This dress must be cutting off the oxygen supply to my brain. There was no other explanation.

Jace didn't look at me as I settled down next to him, curling my feet up beside me and resting my cheek on his shoulder. Even as engrossed in the program as he was, he still managed to put his arm around me and rub circles onto my upper arm. _We're inventing a new langage!_ the Phineas character on TV said in a very feminine voice. Jace smiled at the TV. It was cute how he laughed at cartoons. Alec may hate it, but I loved when Jace's inner-two-year-old came out to play.

I bit my lip. "Jace…?" I shifted so that I was looking up at him through my thickened lashes. He burst out laughing at something on the television.

"Mmm?" he asked after settling down, keeping his eyes on the Disney Channel as he pressed a kiss to the top of my hair. Only then did his eyebrows furrow. "Clary, where are your curls—whoa." That was it. _Whoa. _ I don't know what I had been expecting, but Jace's current expression wasn't it. His eyes were the size of saucers, his mouth agape. I couldn't tell if he was shocked or intrigued. I felt a blush creeping up my neck as his gaze landed on my revealed chest. "Clary…" he breathed, finally meeting my eyes again.

"Isabelle decided to make me her Barbie doll again." Jace shook his head back and forth. Did he not like it? Was he repulsed?

"No, to be a Barbie doll, you would have to be plastic," he dipped down to kiss the tip of my nose. "But right here is really, true perfection." My blush reddened, and he kissed both of my heated cheeks. He leaned in and brushed his lips against mine. "But you are always perfect." My breath hitched, and I vaguely heard the television talking about Ferb Latin before it made the chiming sound that meant it had been turned off.

Jace's eyes were hooded with lust as he pressed his forehead against mine, his minty-fresh breath fanning over my face, cooling the warm blush that had colored my pale, freckled skin. His face hovered a centimeter away from mine, and he smiled. The SOB smiled. I shook my head and knotted my fingers into the golden mops of curls atop his head. "You arrogant son of a—" I tilted my face up with a hand at the back of my neck and captured my swear word into his mouth, his tongue sliding across my lower lip for access. I pressed my lips together tightly, and Jace chuckled.

"Come on, Clary. Have some fun," he teased, his lips still right up against mine. I rolled my eyes and tugged on his hair as I granted him passage, our tongues dancing in the battle for dominance. Jace's won, of course, since he couldn't lose anything and remain sane. His hand slid from the back of my neck to my hips until I was sitting on top of him, my legs straddling his lap. His long eyelashes tickled against my skin as he moved down to place kisses in the hollow of my throat, his favorite spot to nip at and suckle the skin.

"Jace," I said, my eyes flying open momentarily only to be closed again as his fingers began tickling down my legs and kneading the skin of my thighs.

"Hmmm?" his deep voice hummed against my throat deliciously.

"I know Kaelie talked in the lobby," I blurted and felt Jace's entire body freeze. I knew that with his self-control, he could remain like that for hours. I deflated, slumping into the back of the couch.

"Is this what all of this is about?" he asked, gesturing to my choice of attire. I ignored him, countering with a question of my own.

"What did you talk about?" He looked away and scratched the back of his neck. "What did you talk about, Jace?" I wasn't usually an impatient person, but when I wanted to know something, I could become a Class-A witch.

Jace shrugged it off nonchalantly. "She just said that she wasn't giving up on me." I gave him a look that told him I knew he was lying. "Fine, Clary, if you must know, she said that she could give me more than my virgin girlfriend ever could. That she could 'Love me good.'" He made air-quotes around the last part. I looked at him, a bit stung. His hands came up to stroke his thumbs across my cheekbones. "But I told her to walk away, that I wanted nothing that she could offer and that my _perfect_ girlfriend was all that I would ever need." I stuttered, but Jace smirked. "Is this what this sexy little number is about, Morgen? Are you jealous?"

"Me? Noooo…" I replied unconvincingly, and Jace unleashed his panty-dropping grin on me.

"Good, because you never, ever need to be jealous, Morgen. Ever. All these other girls couldn't hold a candle to you."

I smiled. "Hopefully not, because with _this _amount of hairspray, I'd go up in flames." Jace laughed, and I relished in the feeling of his chest vibrating against me.

"You know that I'd kiss you in when you were sweaty and in your basketball uniform, right?" I nodded, and Jace shook his head. "Than what's the occasion?" He fiddled with the bow at the back of the dress, and I beamed up at him before pushing his shoulders down so that he was flat on the couch. He looked up at me through his blonde eyelashes, his tawnt eyes swimming with love as I ran my hands across the t-shirt-clad planes of his chest. I pressed my lips against his, and we stayed like that for awhile before I pulled away, breathless.

"Celebrating the fact that I can love you better," I breathed, knotting my fingers into his shirt. He grinned mischievously before flipping us over so he was above me, his forearms framing my head so that he could brace his weight without crushing me. I bit my lip, and he used his thumb to massage it from my toothy confines.

"No, no, no," he cooed gently, "that's my job." I looked up quizzically, momentarily confused before he took my lower lip in between his teeth and tugged backward, his eyes grinning enough for his entire face as he stared down at me.

"Ew! Tell me I did _not_ just see something going down on my couch!" Alec yelled storming into the apartment. Jace immediately had us at a sitting position with his arm gently around my shoulders. I snuggled into his side and focused on the television, which as reruns of _Wizards of Waverly Place_ on.

"You saw nothing," Jace said creepily, the way some psycho murderer from a movie would. I elbowed him in the ribs, but he just laughed, unfazed.

"Yeah, or at least I'm going to pretend I didn't." I giggled, and Jace peppered my face with kisses.

"You can definitely love me better." He lands on my mouth and plants a quick peck on the corner. "No competition."

* * *

_I know she's perfect and worth it,_

_Oh yeah she's beautiful_

_But she can't love you and touch you until you go_

_You keep on tryin' to hide it_

_But we both know, oh_

_She can love you _good_, but I can love you _better_._

* * *

**Anyone besides me heard the dirty version ;) I like that one too...O.o I'm a bad person...Jeez, sorry for the randomness...I'm REEEEALLY tired...Pretty Little Liars was AMAZING...Also random...you should see my Twitter account...just kidding...some of you could be psycho stalkers lurking outside my window *gets up and shuts shades* but I bet most of you are really cool :) haha thanks for reading...now tell me what you thought and press that ever-so-sexy reveiw button...It will give you glorious dreams of Jace Herondale :D...One time I had a dream about Will Herondale...we went to the 1950s and got a milkshake in the mall...Yeah I need some sleep...Goodnight, lovelies! And Kudos to you if you read this entire, rambling paragraph...I know I wouldn't -_- ...ANYWAYS...drop me a comment and a song/artist/POV...I'd love to here from you...Until next time then.**

**~All My Love, BallinBlonde21 :D **

**(P.S. I almost got stung by a hornet today while playing at my basketball hoop...not fun...) Stop reading my randomness and comment already...yeesh ;)**


	9. Hunter Hayes: Wanted

**Update :) haha sorry I've been really busy with volleyball and such...I'd like to give a great thanks to the people that always review songs and let them know that all the songs are great suggestions and maybe I'll just have to start doing two at a time ;) and also a shout out to my lovely new beta Mads-hatter-15...she had some great ideas and additions...so with that...enjoy :)**

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-15

Song: Wanted by Hunter Hayes

Requested by: DreamWeaver16

_You know I'd fall apart without you._

_I don't know how you do what you do._

'_Cause everything that don't make sense about me,_

_Makes sense when I'm with you._

* * *

I was physically shaking. It was only six o'clock in the morning, but I was wide awake, sprawled across the entire expanse of my bed and missing the warmth of _her _lying beside me; snuggled up against me under the blankets. The spot where she usually slept was cool; the darkness emphasizing the loneliness. Her mother had called her last night, and Clary had just rushed out of the dorm room without an explanation.

The air in the room was silent and still. The black abyss was like its own entity, slowly closing in on me until I was nearly suffocating in the loneliness. I heaved myself up from the bed yet again to check my closet for the Clary's gift. The shimmering object was still fully intact, and I stretched out my stiff muscles, wondering how long Clary would be gone for. Jocelyn had been sobbing through the phone, and the outburst left Clary visibly upset. She'd grabbed her jacket and keys and left before I could even offer to give her a ride.

So here I was, waking up today, of all days, alone. I'd never really considered myself the guy to do something special for a girl, mostly because with my cocky attitude and easily bored behavior, my relationships never lasted that long. But I'd gone all out this year, done everything I could think of to make this day special, and she wasn't here. I woke up my cell and checked my text messages. There wasn't one. I pressed the sleep button again and trotted out to the kitchen, running my hands through my thick, blond tendrils. It was nothing compared to when Clary wove her fingers through my hair.

I filled a glass of water, unsatisfied by the cool feeling of it against my tongue. The only thing I wanted to taste was her. I wanted her lips on mine. I wanted her safely inside my arms. I wanted her to be here. Now. Alec was with Magnus, and the apartment was completely deserted. There were no demon alerts, and there was nothing on television this early. I dumped my unfinished water down the sink and began to clean the entire living area with the OCD-likeness I used in my bedroom. There was not much to do, so when I finally finished, I dragged my sorry self back to my bedroom and crawled beneath the covers, forcing my eyelids to stay open until she walked through the door.

I couldn't get my mind away from the fact that she might not like my gift. She was my everything, my reason for living, and all I wanted to do was please her. All the confusion of my past, all the hurt and the agony, disappeared when I looked into the jewel depths of her emerald eyes. She was my addiction. I wanted her every second of every day for as long as I lived. She resided inside me, and even if I wanted to, I don't believe that I could dispel the redhead from my heart or my mind. I pulled her pillow against me and inhaled the scent of strawberry that lingered on the fabric. She was complete and utter perfection. She was everything that I had ever dreamed of. And she was all I'd ever need. I just hoped that what I was planning for today would let her know that.

Finally, around nine-thirty, I heard a key click in the doorway. There was the slightest creak as the door moved on its hinges and footsteps echoed through the apartment. "Jace?" a soft, familiar voice inquired, sending butterflies hurtling through my stomach. This was it. I heard her approach my room, and I met her halfway, sweeping her up into my arms and peppering her mussed curls with feather-light kisses.

The fabric of her jacket was cold against my bare chest, and her icy fingers traced the hard lines of scars that dotted my skin. Her small body was shivering, and I pulled her down onto the bed with me, wrapping the covers up around both of our bodies. "Baby…" I murmured, brushing the hair from her red-rimmed eyes. She sniffled involuntarily and buried her face in the crook of my shoulder.

"She's taking it really hard, Jace," she whispered. "I thought that…you know, maybe with Luke, the pain of losing my, my…_Valentine_"—I subtly noted that she no longer called him her father—"wouldn't hurt so much." I made quiet shushing noises as Clary continued to sniffle into my warm skin. After a moment of quiet, Clary looked up with bloodshot eyes. "I don't want to deal with this right now."

I sighed gently and kissed her temple. "You don't have to, Morgen. I have something planned for today." My heart leapt in my chest when she didn't speak right away. "I mean, if you're up for it." I heard her soft giggle as she sat up in bed.

"I'd love to." I took her hand and lead her to my closet, opening the door to reveal a shimmering wall that rippled and glittered, showing the image of a backyard. I ushered for her to step through, and her eyebrows furrowed. "Jace…" she said slowly, her eyes never leaving the design before her, "are we going to Narnia?" I rolled my eyes.

"Just shut up and step in." Her answering smile was radiant as she daintily passed through the threshold, leaving me to follow behind her. I silently praised Magnus for creating a portal that actually worked. My foot landed in soft, spongy grass that had no trace of snow on it. The air was warm against my skin, and I reached for Clary's arm, tracing the rune perfectly against her skin, just in case people could actually see us. She looked at it for a second but didn't question its power as her eyes raked over the scene before her.

The sky was pure blue, that kind of hazy abyss that if you looked at it hard enough seemed to form a dome above your head. Thick, gnarled tree trunks spiraled up out of the green earth, creating a canopy above our heads, leaves whispering gently in the breeze. Nestled amongst the natural, brown branches sat a tree house. A rope ladder dangled from the deck, and the crooked structure stood proudly above the pair. "Jace…is this our—"

"Tree house? Yes." She blinked up at the walls of the building. I knew what she was doing. She was mentally tallying the years since the tree house had been blown out of the tree in a storm, and I just smiled at her, counting on her fingers, because I knew that any moment, a small redhead would pop out of the entry way, doing the exact same thing.

Right on cue, Clary's five-year-old self emerged from the tree house. She wore a bright green jumper and had her curly hair contained in two, precise pigtails. Her cheeks were pink and her bare feet were blackened with dirt, but the smile on her face showed that she didn't have a care in the world. "Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, SixFiveFourThreeTwoOne," she counted, ticking the seconds off on her fingers. "Here I come, Jace!" she yelled, her chubby little legs crawling down the ladder as fast as they would take her.

I turned and looked pointedly at a gaping Clary. "So that's how you always won…cheater." Clary blinked dazedly and slowly turned toward me. The giggling little girl ran around the small, wooded area, arms outstretched as she searched for the boy.

"Jace…I'm gunna getcha!" she squealed, peering around a tree trunk as a blond boy crept up behind her, following closely behind. "Where are you?" she questioned allowed, ducking behind a bush. I smirked, casting a sidelong glance at Clary. I remembered this part and judging by her watery eyes, she did, too.

When the redhead's face appeared from behind the bush, Jace jumped out and yelled, "Boo!" The little girl's eyes widened as she stumbled backward and tripped into a mud puddle. Her lip quivered as she looked at her stained dress. Young Jace's face immediately fell as he scrambled to help her out of the muck.

"My mommy's gonna be angry at me, Jace," she whimpered, wiping her hands across the wet mud to try to remove it, but only succeeding in making it worse. Jace blinked at the tearful girl before wiping a gob of mud from her pigtails and smearing it all across his shirt. He cocked his head to the side before deciding that it wasn't enough and diving headfirst into the mud puddle.

"There. Now we match." His white smile stood out prominently against his mud-covered face as he shook out his blond hair. Clary sniffled and giggled a little at their young selves.

"Jace…how did you do this?" she asked, leaning into my side as my arm automatically wove around her waist. I pressed my chin into her hair as the kids before us continued to throw handfuls of mud at each other.

"I had a little help," I said, chuckling. Clary smiled up at me and carefully wandered over toward the two children. I followed slowly, watching her drag her finger in the mud and stare wistfully into the distance.

"Do you think they know that they are going to fall in love?" she asked softly, as she traced tiny hearts in the dirt. I crouched down beside her and grinned.

"I think they are already in love." I leaned in and felt her lips softly meet mine. I was right, this was way better than the glass of water. I felt Clary pull away and opened my eyes to see her smiling sweetly at me. I stared at her quizzically before feeling cool, semisolid material sliding down my back. I glanced backward, wondering if one of the kids had missed and accidentally tossed mud at me. I turned around to see Clary grinning, a handful of mud poised above my head. A drop fell from the cracks between her fingers and slid down my nose. "Morgen," I playfully growled in warning, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Her smile merely grew as she slowly parted her hands, a plopping noise sounding as the wet earth spread onto my head. "And why not," she giggled, standing up and darting away from me. She was a quick little thing, but I was faster. I caught her around the waist and held her against me as I fell into the mud puddle. She laughed loudly as the brown soaked into her clothes and dried in her hair. "You're a meanie," she said between fits of laughter.

"And you're a cheater," I replied, smiling. The small giggles of the kids broke through to us, and we looked in their direction. The little boy had a flower in his hand, his arms raised in defeat.

"Morgen," he said in the cute, high voice every little boy has. "Let's be best friends forever." He offered the flower to the girl who took it and tucked it into her mud-encrusted locks. Present-day Clary smiled at the exchange, and I leaned over and plucked the nearest flower, placing it into her hair.

"You still wanna be best friends?" I asked, gazing into her green eyes. They shimmered in the sunlight, and she nodded slowly.

"Forever and ever," she replied at the same time the pigtail girl did. She looked over and laughed breathlessly. I pulled her close and caught her mouth with mine as she turned back toward me. I gently pried her hand from my hair to drop a small heart-shaped locket into her fingers. It was silver with _Aeternus Amor_ written in looping cursive, copied from the way I'd write it in my own hand. Tears formed in her eyes as I turned her to clasp it around her neck. She fingered the pendant and shook her head against the wellspring of water in her eyes. "What does it mean?" Her fingers still held onto the heart as I clasped my hands around her's.

"Eternal love." I placed a soft kiss against her parted lips. "Happy Valentine's Day."

* * *

_And I wanna call you mine,_

_Wanna hold your hand forever,_

_And never let you forget it._

_Yeah, I wanna make you feel wanted._

* * *

**Was this cute enough to get a review? I'd love to get some new songs :D Help me out? Haha update for Perfect Life, Perfect Spike will be up in like the next half hour :) whoop!**

**All My Love~BallinBlonde21**


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